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Specialty crop research grants awarded

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded 28 grants to researchers to help solve specialty crop production issues at a time when the Obama administration is encouraging Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan said during an Oct. 25 press call.

The USDA's National Institute of Food & Agriculture awarded more than $46 million through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, a program established by the 2008 farm bill to help the industry develop science-based tools.

'Supermarket Guru' says shoppers are not going back to the old days

ORLANDO, FL — Phil Lempert, the self-proclaimed "Supermarket Guru," claims that the days of old are gone and they are not coming back.

Discussing consumer behavior trends at an Oct. 15 workshop during the Produce Marketing Association's Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition, Mr. Lempert said that today’s shoppers are going through difficult economic times, which will shape their shopping habits forever just as they did the generation that lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Large California Navel crop holds potential for record, but size structure is on small side

The California Navel industry, coming off "probably one of the best crops in history from a quality perspective and a revenue perspective" for the 2009-10 season, is looking at a larger on-tree crop for 2010-11.

In fact, “what we've got is one of the largest crops in history hanging on the tree,” said Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual in Exeter, CA.

Peru expects reefer break-bulk access in 2011 for its citrus

ORLANDO, FL — In 2011, Peruvian citrus exporters will have access to break- bulk refrigerated cargo ships, according to Sergio Del Castillo, general manager of the Association of Citrus Producers of Peru, based in Lima, known as ProCitrus.

The Peruvian seaport of Callao, which is several miles north of Lima, has expanded its containership capacity, taking pressure off other seaports and opening greater opportunities for break-bulk ships to serve the country's citrus exporters — and exporters of other produce items.

A remarkable year for Chile comes to a close

ORLANDO, FL — By many measures, Chile has experienced a remarkable year.

In the fruit industry, Antonio Walker has become the new president of Fedefruta, Chile's fruit producers’ association, noted Ron Bown, the chairman of ASOEX, which is Chile’s fruit exporters association. In recent months, the Chilean Citrus Committee was created, taking a place alongside similar ASOEX-affiliated blueberry and asparagus committees.

Leafy green competitors tout new washes that promise better performance

ORLANDO, FL — Two California competitors in the leafy green business came to the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit convention, here, to push the new washes they are using to clean their fresh-cut products and reduce, if not eliminate, the risk of pathogens in that part of the process.

But far from claiming a competitive edge and marketing their new washes as superior, both companies are making their respective products available to the rest of the industry in an effort to improve the safety of the industry.

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